Field Trips 1&2

I personally have a difficult time with matters relating to religion, so I was concerned about raising questions during the trips. I think it was more helpful for me to listen to the other questions that were posed by other students and hear the nuns and seminarians response. I thought it was nice that a lot of people call and e-mail the sisters for guidance and prayer during difficult times. When I think of nuns or women involved in religious life, I kind of place them in a different category than everyone else: in a good and bad way. They're in a different category in a good way such that they have a vastly different purpose and mission in life than someone like me does. Similarly, I place them in a different category in a bad way because I feel as if they are missing out on so much in life such as marriage, children, etc. But then again, maybe they look at someone like me and imagine that by not devoting my life to God, that I am missing out on so much. I guess it could go either way. Nonetheless, it was certainly an interesting and eye-opening experience for me.

Visiting the seminary was probably my favorite thing that we've done so far. The seminary was beautiful and breathtaking. I was interested to learn that it is more like a college. I was under the impression that is was solely based around religious studies and becoming ordained. I had no idea it was sort of like a huge religious fraternity. Everyone was very welcoming and nice, and I think that was also helpful with my reservations about religion. My favorite part was when we all sat in the classroom and students asked questions. I particulary enjoyed when one of the girls in our class asked one of the Deacon's how he handles people's questions of faith due to the evil and sadness in the world. His response was that God allows us to make free choices, and that "darkness is simply the absence of light." I was really moved by that quote, because that particular question kind of sums up my personal struggles with religion. I really enjoyed this trip the most.

O Tangled Web

I absolutely loved Elwell's piece "O Tangled Web." Anything involving psychology, such as why people act they way they do, fascinates me to no end. While part of me felt saddened by Muniz's unfortunate habit of pathological lying, I was so curious to figure out why he fabricated such stories with such detail. Not only did he lie about simple matters that maybe a "normal" person would lie about, but he fabricated such ridiculous stories for maybe the sole reason of appearing important or interesting. As I would assume it would for others, this piece made me consider people in my life who lie about irrelevant things and why they may do so. Maybe I should consider why the person is lying instead of what they are lying about. Also, one thing that caught my attention was the bit of hypocrasy that carried throughout the end of Elwell's piece. His piece is entitled "O Tangled Web," he is interested in Muniz to figure out why he tells lies of such grandeur, yet he lies to Muniz to get his story. It made me consider what lengths and how far journalists will go to get a story. I can imagine that there are many instances in which a story is born under false pretenses. I'm sure to most journalists a story is just a story.

Guarding Sing Sing

Ted Conover's "Guarding Sing Sing" was a little dry for me. While I did find it fascinating to read about such a different walk of life, I felt that I was reading more factual and background information rather than the daily routines of being a correctional officer. If Conover had brought more of that into the story I may have liked it a quite bit more. I feel that it was the facility's goal to constantly make a point to the inmates that they held all the power by frequently doing cell checks. I think this was the core of Conover's piece: the dynamic between guard and inmate. I really enjoyed the way he ends his piece. As he is leaving he stops to reflect on what he has experienced that day at the Correctional Facility. Conover kind of self-reflects and discovers that he understands a little better why inmates and guards act the way that they do.

Didion, Wolfe and Thompson

Didion's "Slouching Towards Bethlehem" was certainly an interesting read. Taken all the way from teenagers doing acid to encountering a five year old given LSD by her parents, Didion certainly caught my attention. However, while I was eager to read on and learn more about the way these people's lives are shaped, I had a hard time following Didion's writing. I felt like she jumped around a lot from thought to thought. I can't tell if she did this because she was trying to portray her own mental wanderings, as if to relate to her own journalism topic. Or maybe Didion's style is sporadic, and maybe a little random. Either way, I certainly had to move back and forth between pages to remind myself which person she was referring to, etc. I would imagine that gathering information on runaways and "hippies" would be challenging, as her piece showed. I feel that Didion had a difficult time reporting because she couldn't really get a firm grasp on anyone she was interviewing. While there were certainly a few people that she focused around, I feel as if the piece was little samples from each person. Although, I felt that she did a good job of keeping herself out of the piece. I find that it is hard to follow a story when an author's presence is very strong.

Wolfe's "New Journalism" was also quite interesting. I feel that this piece was meant to be more informative than anything else, yet it still maintains some comical air. Wolfe speaks of how The Novel is the "final triumph" in a journalists life: that the light at the end of the tunnel for a journalist is their first novel. He focuses a lot on the techniques of realism that were learned by journalists in the 1960's. Also, Wolfe notes the finer details of successful reporting. While this piece could have been simply and plainly factual, Wolfe speaks with an enthusiasm and energy that I wouldn't expect for such a topic. Although a little lengthy, it was an interesting read.

Thompson's "Kentucky Derby" piece was nothing short of true, honest reporting. This piece was by far my favorite. Maybe because Thompson makes the piece so much like a personal narrative, it is either something that you really enjoy or really dislike. I found myself considering the Kentucky Derby, and how I imagine it to be some upscale, nose-in-the-air kind of event. Reading Thompson's piece gave me the impression that these people gather together, get dressed up, spend some money and get drunk. Sounds more like a piece about the life of a college student rather than middle-aged adults.